After demolishing the former Coffee Table cafe building earlier this week, the owner of the property said construction on a 45-unit Silver Lake condominium project could begin as soon as this spring or early summer. Justin Barth with Miami-based 15 Group said his firm has decided to go ahead and build 45 condos on the Rowena Avenue property instead of the 64 proposed by the previous landowner. While many fans of the Coffee Table were upset when the restaurant was forced to close last year, there is a possibility that a cafe will return to the property. One of the 45 condos, a unit facing Rowena, has tentatively been set aside for a cafe or retail use if a buyer can be found, Barth said. Otherwise the unit will most likely be sold as a residential condo.
“It would be a separate, wholly owned retail space operated by the owner,” Barth said. “We have been discussing with various brokers [about] who would be interested in that site. We don’t want to build a restaurant that no one is going to occupy.”
The entire project, which has not been named, is expected to be completed in less than two years, with units expected to be priced in the $500,000 to $600,000 range.
Photos from MLS/Redfin
Perched on the western edge of Angeleno Heights, this 1904 house is one of several large Craftsman-style homes on West Kensington Road that look down upon Echo Park Lake and offer views of the Hollywood Hills. It shares the block with some other large Craftsman manors, including those designed by Arthur B. Benton, a noted architect who also called Angeleno Heights home. But the views and Craftsman charm of this West Kensington Road home don’t come cheap. The asking price for this nearly 3,00o-square-foot home, which has been carved up into a triplex, is $1.5 million, according to Redfin. The listing says this is the home’s first time on the market in 40 years.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A wonderland of modern furniture and unique accessories, the selection at HD Buttercup is vast and ever-changing. 
With 1,000 new arrivals a week, a walk around the store can be both overwhelming and liberating. For interior designers, the store’s massive range of sofas, chairs, nightstands and everything in between makes for a playground full of possibilities. For those who lack the confidence or expertise to sort through such a myriad of choices, the HD Buttercup Top 40 is your guide to style on a budget. [Read More…]
You would think the buyer of a $15 million Lotto ticket would waste no time to claim the jackpot. But, as of this morning, no one has stepped forward to claim Saturday’s $15 Million Super Lotto ticket that was sold at the House of Spirits liquor store in Echo Park. California Lottery spokesman Elias Dominguez said it is not unusual for big prize winners to take their time and claim their prize:
There are a bunch of reasons why people don’t come forward right away. A lot of winners like to get their affairs in order and maybe consult with a financial advisor or attorney. Also, some people don’t check their tickets right away.
Just in case you have not checked, the numbers on Saturday’s $15 million Super Lotto ticket are 2, 8, 10, 15, 22 and the Mega number was 12.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Cloudy Day on The L.A. River, Elysian Valley | Photo by Tracy Stone/Flickr
- Citizens get another chance to comment on council district boundary changes. Daily News
- Police Commission approves relaxed impound rules for unlicensed drivers. Daily News
- Occidental College radio station KOXY finds an Internet audience. Oxy Weekly
- Lincoln Heights on Crime Alert after seven violent crimes reported in a week. L.A. Now
- Three Echo Park restaurant workers celebrate 50 years of service. L.A. Times and Previously on The Eastsider
- The Eastsider thanks the a member of the Gnostic Society for purchasing an Eastsider Reader Sponsorship.
- Happening Today: Bunnies & Kitties folk music show, Highland Park. Save the Date
Police have determined that two men who were arrested following a Sunday morning shooting in Echo Park were not involved in the incident that left one man injured. The two suspects were apprehended near Echo Park Lake after their vehicle was observed driving recklessly through Angeleno Heights about 30 minutes after a man was shot in the stomach at about 1 a.m. near Echo Park Avenue and Fargo Street. Police at the time were said to be looking at the possibility that the two suspects might have been involved in the shooting but that proved not to be the case, said Lt. Steven Flores with the LAPD Division. Said Flores in an email:
We could not connect the guys arrested to the shooting. They were arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. The firearm recovered was not of the same caliber as the one used in the shooting. The victim of the shooting survived.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Photo by Christine Terrisse
By Christine Terrisse
In the mood for a fun vintage vibe with a bit of luxury thrown in? Head over to Le Pink and Company Apothecary on Sunset Boulevard to visit a Silver Lake’s mecca for beauty. In addition to cosmetics and beauty products they carry gift items and some luxury candle lines like Voluspa, known for their sophisticated scents. The vibe is eclectic and the decor has a lot of pink, of course. The display cases and shelves contain a large collection of vintage dolls and accessories, making for a fun and unpretentious experience.
[Read More…]
With a few notable exceptions, including the Sears store at Soto Street and Olympic Boulevard and the old General Hospital on State Street, the skyline of Boyle Heights is short on tall buildings. But at the northwest corner of First and Evergreen Streets, an affordable housing developer is planning to build one of Boyle Heights’ tallest structures, a five-story apartment building that will rise about 60 feet into the air. The proposed 53-unit Sol y Luna Family affordable apartments would replace some small commercial buildings and a truck yard and loom above its immediate neighbors, including the historic Evergreen Cemetery across the street. The apartment building will rise well above Evergreen’s tombstones and could benefit the neighborhood around the cemetery, according to a report by the Community Redevelopment Agency:
This development will revitalize a deteriorated and blighted site of Boyle Heights located in a very visible and prominent located [CQ] across from Evergreen Cemetery.
[Read More…]
Determination: The Hollywood Sheiks, along with coach Jennifer Overlock, watch with as their teammates try to get them a shot at the championship trophy. Photo by Erik Luna.
By Erik Luna
The gym of the Roybal Learning Center near Echo Park sees plenty of basketball action. But last Friday, the Roybal gym hosted L.A. Unified’s first basketball tournament with teams composed of special education and general education students. The inaugural tournament for The Unified Basketball League is part of a pilot program intended to build a sense of camaraderie and promote respect and acceptance for all the players regardless of disability. The league currently consists of only six high schools – including Belmont High, Miguel Contreras and Roybal, which draw students from Echo Park and other nearby neighborhoods – but might be expanded.
“Some of these students never get a chance to play in front of a big crowd like this,” said Jessica Sanchez, an aunt of one of the players, said during the tournament. “I’ve never seen these kids so excited about something,”
[Read More…]
The developer planning to build a small, 4,000-square-foot commercial center on the site of a former Echo Park gas station has not signed a tenant yet. However, the owners have applied for a city permit to allow for the sale of beer and wine on the property, a triangle-shaped “island” at the corner of Glendale Boulevard, Montana Street. Armen D. Ross, a consultant representing the developer, said the conditional use permit would help a tenant interested in serving beer and wine to customers on the property (a summary provided by the Planning Department said the applicant is seeking to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption but Ross said that is an error). If the city grants a permit, then it would be up to the tenant to obtain an alcohol license from the state, Ross said. “We don’t know what it’s going to be,” Ross said of the retail spaces. “But we wanted to have the permit just in case we do attract a cafe.”
L.A. Web Awards 
Best of L.A. 
The Eastsider publishes stories and news from the northeast corner of the City of Los Angeles and neighboring East Los Angeles. Who is the Eastsider? Where does the Eastsider roam? 